What is it that makes William Blake the most frequently evoked Romantic poet in early twenty-first century culture? Ever since he gained iconic status in 1960s counterculture, Blake has been engaged with by countless artists in both high and popular cultural spheres. As Bob Dylan put it most recently in his new song “I Contain Multitudes”: “I sing the songs of experience like William Blake / I have no apologies to make”. In a similar vein, Tuebingen artist Dieter Löchle tends not to be apologetic about having been inspired by William Blake in his artistic practice ever since he got hooked on Blake while working on his Master’s degree in English, and in the English Department of Tuebingen University Blake remains a constant presence through the teaching and research interests of Christoph Reinfandt, who is currently working on Blake’s reception in various genres of popular music. In this conversation, Loechle and Reinfandt will continue a dialogue they have kept up for years, most recently in the context of a seminar entitled “William Blake, Then & Now” last summer term, which was planned very differently from what it turned out to be under Corona conditions.

Dieter Löchle (*1952) was born in Konstanz. After studying English and Art History at Tuebingen University, Oxford and Cambridge he stayed in Tuebingen where he has practiced his art ever since, taking inspiration from the town, the Neckar river, and William Blake.